1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a lubricating arrangement, especially for internal combustion engines with at least one first location requiring lubrication, and at least one second location requiring lubrication, e.g. in an auxiliary equipment associated with said engine. The circuit includes a pump device adapted to convey or move the lubricating medium, e.g. oil, through a main conduit means to the locations requiring lubrication.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is known to connect auxiliary equipment, such as for example the (exhaust) turbo-supercharger, by means of a connecting conduit to the main pressure conduit of the internal combustion engine. It is also known to arrange a drain conduit between the turbo-supercharger and the oil sump. The connecting conduit, due to the required cooling and filtering of the oil which is admitted during operation of the engine, is connected to the main pressure conduit, when viewed in the direction of flow of the lubricating oil, at a point behind the oil cooler and the oil filter, and behind other parts of the system, such as the feed-in conduits and so forth. When the engine is not operated for lengthy periods of time, the oil drains from the spaces, either in part or entirely. Thus, on restarting of the engine these spaces have to be filled again before the full oil pressure has been re-established to move the oil to the pertaining bearing locations which require lubrication. Particularly detrimentally affected are the further removed bearing locations of auxiliary equipment, for example the bearing locations of a turbo-supercharger, which are usually arranged to be at the level of the upper edge of the engine, or still further thereabove. At times, the oil is admitted to these bearing locations at a sufficient pressure after such a period of time that this delay is not of detriment at no-load running, or run-up, and correspondingly delayed, or gradual, transfer of load of the engine. However, for rapid transfer of the load as it will be the case in equipment to be operationally available at least nearly instantaneously, the point in time at which the pressure oil or lubricating oil is available in a sufficient volume will be unacceptably delayed. This can lead to serious damage and even to destruction of such bearing locations, unless by means of extensive lubricating devices it would be assured that a continuous or intermittent supply of lubricating oil is available. For most situations, however, such devices are too excessive, so that they can only be considered for larger systems.
According to the U.S. Pat. No. 4,126,997-Henson dated Nov. 28,1978, the pressure conduits to the bearing locations at the control element remain continuously open and there cannot be prevented any emptying of the pressure conduits.
The U.S. Pat. No. 3,045,420--Addie et al. dated July 24, 1962 provides an electrically operating, independent prelubricating system for the turbo charger which is operative already before motor starting. Such systems are known and special measures or features for rapid pressure build-up are not necessary herewith. Consequently, the disclosure of U.S. Pat. No. 3,045,420 cannot be considered with respect to the features of the present disclosure to be at all comparable, because of the high construction costs and complexity when compared with the teaching of the present invention which is to assure an immediate lubrication of remote bearing locations with a single lubricating pump.
The U.S. Pat. No. 3,057,436--Jacobson et al. dated Oct. 9, 1962, according to FIG. 3 shows a check valve in the conduit leading exclusively to the turbocharger which is to prevent a flowing away of lubricating oil from a storage volume. In the remaining lubricating oil system at hand there is noted that however, as expressly mentioned, empty spaces or chambers are formed which must be filled up during motor starting. The displacement of storage volume cannot occur until after the pressure build-up in these empty spaces or chambers or at least such pressure build-up is delayed thereby. Moreover the arrangement is clearly more complex and costly by way of the storage cylinder.
The U.S. Pat. No. 4,157,744--Capriotti dated June 12, 1979 on the other hand represents an isolated prelubricating device which is made functional before the motor starting period. Consequently, the disclosure of the U.S. Pat. No. 4,157,744 is not comparable with the teaching of the present invention because of the considerable structural costs and complexity thereof.
The foreign British reference No. 347,848--Tait et al. of May 7, 1931 provides a viscosity-dependent quantity control for lubrication of connecting rod bearings and consequently is not comparable with the teaching of the present invention.